Jasmine & Elijah: a Catfish Story
by erinmar
Summary: Eventual Nev X OC! After 3 years of dating the mysterious Elijah Lee online, Jasmine desires nothing more than to finally see her true love face-to-face. Will Nev and Max be able to finally unite the two, or will fate take Jasmine down a path leading elsewhere?
1. Chapter One

Hello Everyone! This is my first story here on fanfiction, and I would love to here any feedback you are willing to offer! I'm a huge fan of the show Catfish and have been wanting to write this story for a long time. Please leave a review or favorite... it would mean the world! :) 3 Erin

* * *

It was a regular Friday evening when Elijah Lee messaged me on Facebook. I had recently accepted his friend request because when you're seventeen, you add just about anyone so long as they look decently unsuspicious. His first message was a simple "hey", but that wasn't enough to convince me of replying. It took a second attempt, which read, "you're so beautiful" to pull a response out of me.

 **Elijah Lee:** hey

 **Elijah Lee:** you're so beautiful

 **Jasmine Cruz:** Thanks! But do I know you?

 **Elijah Lee:** no, but we should work on that :)

 **Jasmine Cruz:** Oh, really?

 **Elijah Lee:** definitely. tell me about yourself jas :)

At first, he seemed like a typical slimy teenager looking to get laid, but that quickly changed. Elijah turned out to be everything I was looking for in a guy. Intelligent, funny, sweet, dorky, and extremely handsome. He was never afraid to message me first or send me long, romantic messages that made my stomach erupt in butterflies. He also loved to send me a variety of selfies, most of which were made to make me laugh but sometimes made my heart skip a few beats.

We quickly discovered a lengthy list of interests we had in common, including a deep love for baking shows and a desire to travel the world. Elijah loved the idea of spending our lives abroad together and never really settling down until we reached old age. We spent countless hours discussing our travel plans and developing a route that would carry us around the globe through the greatest of places. Wandering the planet with Elijah became a dream of mine that eventually turned into a dream to simply spend life with the man I met over Facebook.

It took about a month of texts and calls before Elijah boldly confessed his feelings for me over the phone. "I really, _really_ like you, Jasmine. You're unlike any girl I've ever met, and I can't imagine not having ever messaged you. You are just incredible."

Elijah's confession hit me like Cupid's arrow. My feelings for him had been stirring for the previous weeks, but having verbal confirmation set everything into motion. That night I told Elijah that I liked him too, without hesitation, and allowed myself to reveal the feelings I'd been withholding. He explained to me that he'd been crushing on me since we first talked and that his feelings had only grown since then. I told him about the butterflies I felt as I first heard his voice on the phone. Everything seemed to come together that night, and I found myself happier than I'd been in a long time.

Several months passed and me and Elijah's relationship transformed without me even recognizing it. Elijah had become 'Babe' in my phone, a picture of him had replaced my previous wallpaper, and our discussions had transitioned from innocent flirting to serious talk about the future. We talked about a wedding and getting married and about the number of kids we were hoping for. We also discussed our future jobs and how we would work around them for our travel plans. Elijah promised to apply to the same colleges as me and swore that he'd get a dorm right next to my own. The escalation of our relationship seemed sudden yet natural at the same time. It became something that I never could've expected.

At the eight-month mark of our relationship, I finally came to terms with the fact that I desired something new out of our relationship. After countless hours on the phone and text messages between the two of us, I realized that what I really needed was to see Elijah face-to-face. Pictures had allowed me to know what he looked like, but they didn't nearly compensate for my growing need to see him in motion. Before then, I'd been nervous about bringing up video-chatting to Elijah because there was so much safety in avoiding the subject. However, eight months had me feeling secure enough in our relationship to finally mention it with the expectation of a 'yes'.

 **Jasmine Cruz:** Hey babe. Whatcha up to?

 **Elijah Lee:** nothin much, just trying to find some dinner. hbu beautiful?

 **Jasmine Cruz:** Not much myself. Hey, I have a question

 **Elijah Lee:** i have an answer :)

 **Jasmine Cruz:** What would you think about possibly video-chatting? Seeing as we're both unoccupied at the moment. :)

For whatever reason, Elijah took longer than usual to reply to my message. However, after several minutes of anticipation, he got back to me.

 **Elijah Lee:** can't right now babe. my dad just asked me to help him in the yard.

This message hit me like a brick. I didn't realize how much I'd hoped for him to agree to video-chatting until his decline popped up in my messages. I knew that my emotions were a little extreme for the situation at hand, but I couldn't help but feel like crying.

 **Jasmine Cruz:** Oh. Ok.

 **Elijah Lee:** i'm so sorry babe! i'll make it up to you soon. promise :)

 **Jasmine Cruz:** Sounds good.

Little did I know that Elijah would never make it up to me as promised. My hope to meet my unofficial boyfriend face-to-face would slowly die away and be replaced with a constant pain deep in my heart. With every coming month, I found that my feelings for Elijah were growing by the second and by the time we finally admitted to loving each other, I desired more than anything to eventually become his wife. However, my emotions for him caused me a deep amount of pain with every excuse he came up with to not video-chat.

 **Elijah Lee:** i wish i could, but of have a lot of family in town right now.

…

 **Elijah Lee:** oh babe, it's just not a good time. i have a huge paper due tomorrow and i've barely started it. i'm sure you understand :)

…

 **Elijah Lee:** sorry love, i broke the camera on my phone. i'll make it up to you once I get it replaced!

These were the type of excuses I heard over the years of our relationship. For the first year, my love blinded me and Elijah could get by with lame excuses. By the second year, my suspicions were beginning to grow he quickly realized that he no longer had it so easy. I started pressuring him to make plans to video-chat and allowed myself to grow angry with him over the phone for the continued excuses. Elijah never failed to apologize and make up for his failures with words of love and sappy text messages, but the romance was not a substitute for what I needed. One night, my anger got the best of me and I found myself yelling over the phone.

"Elijah, if you really love me, you'll find a damn web camera and skype me for five minutes!"

"Jas, you know how much I have going on—!"

"Yes, I do! I have a lot going on too! But this relationship has gone on far too long for us to have never talked face-to-face! For God's sake, it's been two years!"

Elijah took a long pause and I knew that I had him cornered. After a deep breath, he finally gave in.

"… Okay. You're right. Let me get my computer."

We hung up the phone and I waited for Elijah to text me that he was ready to video-chat. I sat at the edge of my bed with my laptop perched on my knees, nervously waiting for the meeting I'd been waiting so long for. However, the anger and excitement far exceeded any worry I may have been experiencing that night. I was ready to finally look into the eyes of the guy I'd fallen deeply in love with. After receiving the go-ahead text, I clicked on the Skype icon, added Elijah's username, and clicked on the video-chat button. This was it.

"Elijah?"

I stared at the computer screen, waiting for his smile to finally appear in front of my eyes.

"Hey, love. Wow, you're so beautiful!"

"I wish I could say the same! I don't think your webcam is on yet."

"Oh, really? Let me check."

I waited in eagerness as Elijah looked for whatever button would allow his camera to turn on. After several minutes, the screen remained black.

"Can you see me yet, Jas?"

"No."

"Okay, I'll keep trying."

After about fifteen minutes of trying, a familiar feeling started forming in the pit of my stomach. It was the same feeling I experienced every time Elijah through an excuse at me to get out of video-chatting. I finally realized that I would not be skyping with him that night, and that I probably wouldn't be for a long while. He still wasn't ready to reveal himself.

"I'm getting hungry for dinner. Maybe we can try this another time."

"Of course, babe! I wish it could've worked out. I love you!"

"Me too. I love you too."

Sure enough, we never ended up video-chatting for the following year to come. The excuses became a regular part of our conversation. Eventually, I simply stopped asking and our discussion continued as normal. My love for Elijah never wavered, but pain in my heart grew increasingly. I found that loving someone you've never seen has a tremendous toll on the heart. And even worse, loving someone you're suspicious of leads to a world of mental warfare.

One evening as I was mindlessly scrolling through the TV Guide and texting Elijah, a show I'd seen a few times before popped up and sent my phone falling to the floor. I clicked on the show and the familiar faces of Nev Schulman and Max Joseph were displayed on the screen. _Catfish: The TV Show_. I looked from the buzzing phone to the television, back and forth, until it finally struck me. This was the answer.


	2. Chapter Two

Subject: Fed up with the excuses…

From: Jasmine Lee jasminelee11

To: Nev Schulman catfishnev

Dear Nev and Max,

My name is Jasmine Cruz and I'm from Portland, Oregon. I'm contacting you because I really need your help. I've been in an online relationship with a guy named Elijah for over three years now and I'm completely in love. It all started when Elijah added me on Facebook and sent me a message. From there I got his phone number and we started texting and talking on the phone nonstop. Eventually, I realized that my feelings for Elijah were strong and that I wanted to pursue something more with him.

When we had been talking for about 8 months, I asked Elijah to video-chat and he turned me down with the excuse that his father needed his help doing yard work. Months went by and every time I asked Elijah to video-chat, he would come up with an excuse. At first, I was blinded by love to think anything of it, but eventually I realized that all the excuses to not meet me face-to-face were getting suspicious.

One night when I was fed-up with Elijah trying to get out of a Skype date, I told him to him to prove his love to me by spending five minutes on video-chat. Surprisingly he agreed to it, but things didn't go as hoped. Although could hear his voice, the screen was completely black and he claimed to not understand why.

After three years without meeting my true love face-to-face, I feel completely defeated and desperate for help. I'm counting on you guys to help me meet Elijah once and for all.

Sincerely,

Jasmine

…

It seemed like your typical catfish story, but something in my gut told me that this was the case to pursue. We received hundreds of emails like this on the daily, but something about Jasmine's story captivated me. The urge to help her was unexplainable, but it was strong enough for me to summon Max to the computer. "Hey Max, I think I've got one."

Max looked up from his computer, a spark of hope twinkling in his eyes. The two of us had been searching through emails for several hours with no luck. Finding the perfect case always proved to be difficult, but this night was coming up particularly dry. Both of us had reach a new level of fatigue and frustration.

"Fed up with the excuses…" Max mumbled from over my shoulder. The possibility of finding a case had sent him flying across the room with an expression of eagerness. It was nearly three in the morning and Max was quite dependent on his beauty rest. He wasn't a night owl like myself.

I watched Max read through the email in anticipation. For some reason, aside from my desire to wrap up our search, my heart was racing in hope of gaining Max's approval. Jasmine's story wasn't especially extraordinary, beyond the length of her relationship with Elijah. However, I felt extremely motivated to pursue the case. Something beyond me was calling me to her, I hoped the Max would experience the same feeling.

"Well?" I asked, convinced that Max had to have finished reading the email by then.

A few seconds of silence ticked by before Max finally spoke. "This is one of those 'gut-feeling' cases again, isn't it?"

Before I had time to be disappointed, Max chuckled and slammed by laptop shut. "Alright. If you're convinced, then so am I. Plus, I can't be awake a minute."

Max's approval sent an explosion of excitement throughout me. So long as the producers gave us the go ahead, we would be embarking on the journey of helping Jasmine. We would be able to finally connect her with her boyfriend of three years, and depending on the outcome provide her with either happiness or peace. A wide grin pulling at the corners of my lips, I looked up at Max with determination. "Tomorrow morning, then?"

"Yep. Let's bust a catfish."


	3. Chapter Three

It was 10:32 on a Saturday Morning when I received an email from Nev and Max. My heart skipped several beats as the new email popped up on my iPhone locked screen. As quickly as it appeared, my finger was sliding it open and waiting for the email to load. The seconds of waiting felt like a century of anticipation but sure enough, it finally filled my screen.

…

Subject: Re: Fed up with the excuses…

From: Nev Schulman catfishnev

To: Jasmine Cruz jasminecruz11

Hey Jasmine! We would love to help you out. Are you able to Skype sometime today? -Nev and Max

…

My heart pounded as my thumbs began furiously tapping a reply. I let them know that I was available all day and that they could video-call me whenever. I also provided them with my Skype username and cellphone number so that they could text me when they were ready.

As I tapped "send" to put my message on its way to Nev and Max, I was struck with a sudden wave of excitement. The previous year of my relationship had been emotionally exhausting and I wasn't sure of how many more excuses I could take from Elijah. I knew that I loved him, but staying with a person I could never meet was becoming too painful to maintain. Nev and Max's help would be nothing short of a God-send. With their help, I was sure to be meeting Elijah within the following week.

It took about an hour before a received a text from Nev.

 **Nev Schulman:** Hey Jasmine, it's Nev. Ready to skype?

A huge smile jerked at the corners of my mouth. This was really happening.

 **Jasmine Cruz:** Yes! I've got my computer all ready. :)

Seconds later, my Skype notified me that the _Catfish_ skype account had added me and wanted to video chat. Not wanting to keep them waiting, I accepted the video-call instantaneously. With the click of my mouse, the screen started buffering and eventually revealed the faces of Nev Schulman and Max Joseph, each awaiting me with a friendly smile and wave toward the camera. In Max's other hand was a small digital camera that was directed at the screen that I knew was for filming me. Suddenly, the reality that I would be appearing on television hit me like a brick and put a knot in my stomach.

"Hey," the two chimed in unison as their webcam finished buffering. My stomach did a backflip; being in the presence of two celebrities didn't help with the nerves either.

"Hi," I replied awkwardly, searching within myself for any bit of confidence I could find. I've never been a shy or socially-inept person but right then, I knew that I looked nothing short of a complete dork. Max maintained his composure, but Nev let slip a little chuckle at my gawkiness.

In hopes of distracting from his costars slip-up, Max continued the conversation. "So, we here you've been having some difficulties with your online relationship."

At Max's mention of Elijah, a sudden pang of anger flooded my heart. Fortunately, it served as a reminder to why I was allowing myself to be so vulnerable on television. Me and Elijah's relationship had become extremely difficult to say the least, and Nev and Max were my last hope of preserving it. It wasn't just my love for Elijah that brought me to them, but the pain he was causing me as well. The price of televised embarrassment was worth a shot of saving what we had.

With a refueled passion at the forefront of my mind, I explained to Max the severity of the problems between me and Elijah. I recounted several of the times Elijah blew me off and went into detail how the excuses affected me. I explained how Elijah was my first and only love and that I wanted nothing more than to salvage our relationship. I told them about our plans to travel the world, and even about our mentions of marriage and kids. Everything was laid out on the table for the cameras, and by the end of my spiel, I realized that a huge weight had been removed from my shoulders. All my feelings for Elijah that had been bottled up for three years were finally out in the open, and it was liberating.

As the feeling of freedom descended upon me, Max looked to me with a look of pure determination. "We'll figure out what this guy has been up to, Jasmine. Don't you worry."

Nev on the other-hand had an expression I couldn't quite place. The only emotions I could properly relate it too were pity and irritation, but neither of those could sufficiently describe the look I was seeing. It was slightly unsettling, but nothing enough to diminish the excitement and determination I was sharing with Max. It was probably nothing to get hung-up about, so I let it go.

"So, are we good to come by tomorrow evening? We've got people working on a flight right now."

My attention was suddenly redirected toward Max. His enthusiasm hadn't faltered.

"Of course! I'll text you guys my address as soon as we hang up."

"Great! We look forward to meeting you, Jasmine." This time, it was Nev that spoke. He seemed to have gotten over whatever emotions he was experiencing before because a similar expression to his co-stars had reshaped his features. "I'll text you the details."

The video-call ended as quickly as it had started. In those moments, I experienced an overflow of emotions that went beyond description. It was hard to believe that I had become apart of a once-in-a-lifetime experience so quickly and that my story would be appearing on television for the viewing pleasure of millions. Even more unbelievable was that I'd be meeting Elijah Lee after three years of nothing beyond phone-communication. My feelings were indescribable, but I knew that that the positive ones were outweighing the negative. My deepest wish was finally coming true.

Amidst the craziness overtaking my heart and mind, a single _ding_ from my sweatshirt pocket alerted me that I'd received a new text message. At first, I was sure I'd be hearing from Nev and Max about getting my address, but the name written across the screen sent a wave of apprehension through my veins.

 **Elijah Lee:** hey love :) whatcha up to?

Seeing Elijah's message was an immediate reality check that hadn't sufficiently prepared myself for. Working with Nev and Max meant that I would be lying to him for the following week. He couldn't know anything about my involvement with _Catfish_ , or the entire operation could be ruined. Lying to Elijah was the only thing I could do to assure that I would eventually meet up with him. It wouldn't be easy, but it was a worth-while price to pay.

 **Jasmine Cruz:** Just watching some TV. Hbu?


	4. Chapter Four

I probably spent three or four hours overly perfecting my hair and makeup the following afternoon. My closet had become a catastrophe of loose hangers and crumbled piles of discarded clothes that resulted from my inability to find the perfect outfit. My bathroom sink was covered with every makeup item in my possession, as well as an array of hair styling tools and accessories. In the end, my immense efforts to look good on camera had resulted in a casual, simple look. However, the t-shirt, jeans, and wavy hair would have to suffice because suddenly, the ring of my doorbell announced the arrival of the _Catfish_ crew.

Before I could reach the door, a dozen or so men and women came marching into my living room, arms supporting what seemed to be a plethora of film and audio equipment. Awestruck by the magnitude of the production being prepared before me, I could only stand still as cameras were placed at all different angles throughout the living room, lighting was set up around the sitting area, and sound equipment was placed strategically throughout the premises. Before I could speak, a man I could easily identify as one of the producers walked up to me and held out a hand. Complying with his offer of a handshake, the man smiled excitedly at me before entering an enthusiastic spiel.

"You must be Jasmine? It's great to meet you! You can call me Henry. We'll start filming shortly, but first we need to get everything set up. Why don't you go over to sound guys and get a microphone? Oh, and if you could check in with the woman over there; she'll need your help to set up some lighting. Oh, and don't forget to just be yourself in front of the cameras, okay? There's nothing to be worried about!"

Before I could ask any questions or provide my input, Henry had disappeared from sight. By my observation, he seemed to be the man in charge that day and was bursting with energy because of it. When I managed to relocate him, he appeared to be instructing a group of cameramen on matters beyond my understanding. Not wanting to slow things down, I set forth to fulfill my instructions.

"Uh, excuse me? I was told to come get a mic from you."

One of the men Henry had pointed toward turned and acknowledged me with a smile. "Well, you've found the right guy! I'll get you all set up."

The man turned back away from me and began fiddling through a container of sound equipment. A few minutes later, he seemed to have retrieved the right items because he was returning to me with a handful of electronics. "Alright. Just stand still and I'll put your mic on."

Once I'd finished with my first task, I remembered Henry's instruction to help with the lighting set up. He had told me to speak with a tall, redheaded woman in stiletto heals standing near the couch area of my living room. Sure enough, the woman seemed to have been waiting for me to show up because she instantly directed me to sit on the love-seat. Listening to her instructions, I sat exactly where she wanted me and patiently watched as the lighting crew did their work. Just as I was beginning to zone out, my front door opened once more to reveal two familiar faces.

"I was beginning to wonder if you guys would show up," Henry shouted from across the room, somewhat serious but mostly amused. Nev and Max seemed to ignore Henry's comment deliberately, instead directing their focus toward the chaos of my living room. Suddenly, Nev's gaze fell directly into my own, sending a nervous chill down my spine. It was one thing to Skype a celebrity, but meeting one in person was a different story. And in my case, I had two of them to deal with.

Apparently, I was the person they were looking for. As soon as Nev located me amidst the crowd, he grabbed Max by the shoulder and directed his co-star's attention toward me. Sure enough, the two men were suddenly walking toward me, an aura of confidence tracing their footsteps. I inwardly begged my raising heart to relax, but the nervousness proved to be inescapable. I could only hope to not make a complete fool of myself.

"Jasmine! It's great to meet you," Nev exclaimed, his outstretched arms pulling me into a welcoming hug. Oddly enough, his embrace felt like that of an old friend and I found myself quickly relax. He must have mastered his hugging technique through years of helping anxious young-adults like myself. Nevertheless, its effectiveness hit me by surprise.

"It's great to meet you guys," I agreed, pulling away from Nev to fill to greet Max similarly. "I'm so thankful that you chose to help me."

The three of us engaged in casual conversation as the crew continued their pre-filming preparations. I explained to them that I was attending university for an English degree and that I would be celebrating my twenty-first birthday later that week. I also gave them a mini tour around my house and pointed out some of the most notable features, namely the bathroom and refrigerator. Max instantly started looking for something to eat, proving himself to be a quick adjuster. Nev, on the other-hand, remained at my side and continued conversation. He seemed truly fascinated with the random details of my life I was choosing to share with him, but perhaps he was simply doing his job. Either way, he was significantly easing my nervousness and making the whole situation a lot easier. Without him, I'd probably be visibly shaking in front of the cameras.

"Okay, everyone in your places! I need Nev and Max outside and Jasmine ready to answer the door! We're rolling in 5!"

Henry's voice boomed through the house, sending various crew members scurrying toward their designated positions. Nev sent me a parting smile before heading toward the front door with Max. The scene we were about to film involved a little bit of acting, something I wasn't particularly exceptional at. But all I had to do was answer the door and pretend to be meeting Nev and Max for the first time. Most of the show's scenes were going to be authentic, but this specific scene couldn't be filmed without preparations. The rest of the day's filming would go unscripted.

After about five minutes of the crew reorganizing themselves, Henry's voice once again commanded everyone's attention. "Alright! Let's get this thing started!"


End file.
